K12 Kids are Amazing: Arizona Virtual Academy Student Anna H.

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Submitted by on Tue, 07/10/2012 - 10:18am

[Courtesy of R. Andrew Lepley]16 year old Pianist and Arizona Virtual Academy student Anna H. won the Stecher and Horowitz Foundations’ sixth New York International Piano Competition last month.The invitation-only event for pianists between 16 and 21 brought together 22 performers from around the world.

Anna first showed an interest in piano at the young age of 5 when her parents started her in piano lessons “for fun.” That fun has turned into a passion. She has already performed with the Phoenix Symphony Orchestra — twice, and won first prize at the 2011 New Orleans International Piano Competition for Young Artists and the International Institute for Young Musicians International Piano Competition, a title she also won in 2008.

In order to focus on her craft and properly prepare for competitions, Anna has to spend sometimes up to seven hours a day practicing her skills. She is able to devote so much time to practice and truly pursue her passion because of the flexibility she has found by attending school online through Arizona Virtual Academy. 

Anna recognizes the hard work and sacrafice she sometimes has to make takes pride in the perspective it has given her.

“It’s been my dream for a long time to be a concert pianist. A lot of times I make sacrifices — many hours of practice. Sometimes I can’t do all the things I want to because I need to protect my hands. I think just learning music has changed the way I look at a lot of things. It’s taught me dedication and hard work. It’s given me a way to express a lot of things I can’t express through words.”

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